The Undertow
- 368 pages
- 13 hours of reading
An Instant New York Times Bestseller. One of America's finest reporters and essayists explores the powerful currents beneath the roiled waters of a nation coming apart.
Jeff Sharlet Books
This author delves into the intricate questions of American power and fundamentalism, often piercing the veil of hidden structures that shape society. Through contributions to prestigious publications like Harper's and Rolling Stone, alongside more specialized media, they demonstrate a wide-ranging curiosity about politics, religion, and the press. Their approach is deeply analytical, aiming to uncover the unseen forces that define America's power dynamics. This commitment to revealing truths and dissecting complex phenomena establishes them as a significant voice in contemporary non-fiction.
The Family
The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power
"They insist they are just a group of friends, yet they funnel milions of dollars through tax-free corporations. They claim to disdain politics, but congressmen of both parties describe them as the most influential religious organization in Washington. They say they are not Christians, but simply beilievers. Behind the scenes at every National Prayer Breakfast since 1953 has been the Family, an elite network dedicated to a religion of power for the powerful. Their goal is 'Jesus plus nothing.' Their method is backroom diplomacy." -- Cover, p.4.
Linked narrative nonfiction from the best-selling author of The Family. No one explores the borderlands of belief and skepticism quite like Jeff Sharlet. He is ingenious, farsighted, and able to excavate the worlds of others, even the flakiest and most fanatical, with uncanny sympathy. Here, he reports back from the far reaches of belief, whether in the clear mountain air of "Sweet Fuck All, Colorado" or in a midnight congregation of urban anarchists celebrating a victory over police. From Dr. Cornel West to legendary banjo player Dock Boggs, from the youth evangelist Ron Luce to America's largest "Mind, Body, Spirit Expo," Sharlet profiles religious radicals, realists, and escapists. Including extended journeys published here for the first time, Sweet Heaven When I Die offers a portrait of our spiritual landscape that calls to mind Joan Didion's classic Slouching Towards Bethlehem.